Sustainable Menstrual Products

In my school workshops I show the students a full range of products that can be used for periods. When I was at school, the 'period lady' came and showed us disposable pads and tampons. In hindsight, she was obviously employed by Johnson & Johnson to get us hooked on using their products earlier. (We even got free pad samples, and the boys liked to steal them and place them in weird places). I just remember feeling really embarrassed and (probably unsuccessfully) trying to be aloof and cool. I am not sponsored by any coporation, and I want to ensure that parents (who usually initially pay for these things!) and girls understand the huge range of options available to them.

Re-usable Cloth PadsThese are a far cry from the cloths your grandmothers would have used! Comfy and funky, they even come with wings : ) The girls in my workshops LOVE the look of these. Cost-effective, good for the environment, easy to use and simple to clean (put in a bucket of cold water to soak, then rinse and put in washing machine when you next do a load). If you can sew, Green Beans make cloth pad DIY kits which are very cost-effective. Whatakrakka Fancy Pads make gorgeous cloth pads, as well as a lovely starter kit for girls.

Menstrual CupsThere are a number of different types and brands of menstrual cups available. The mooncup is a silicon cup worn inside the vagina as a tampon-alternative. Although the initial cost is higher (approx NZ$60), you only need one and it will last for years. Definitely a cost-effective option! Particularly useful when travelling and camping, as there is no need to worry about carrying supplies, nor is there anything to dispose of. This is an excellent resource for choosing a cup.

Organic TamponsNZ company Change to Green now offer organic tampons. Their tampons are made from certified organic cotton and take only 5 years to decompose (as opposed to regular tampons that take 500+ years!).. They are made from natural materials, so they quickly become a part of nature again.

(Do let me know if you use any other alternatives to the conventional disposable products found in supermarket aisles, I would love to add more info here!)